Master of Public Health at The University of Missouri-Columbia
This school appears in our ranking of the Top 10 MPH Programs with No Out-of-State Tuition Fees.
The University of Missouri-Columbia offers both a traditional Master of Public Health and an online Master of Public Health. Its traditional program allows students to take advantage of opportunities on its Columbia campus. They can attend fairs to learn more about the health concerns of different groups and meet with alumni during networking events.
Students can choose an emphasis in either health promotion and policy or veterinary public health. The health promotion and policy track teaches students how organizations determine policies and the steps those groups take before establishing a new policy. Its veterinary public health track focuses more on how diseases can spread among different types of animals and new issues in the world of veterinary medicine. Students in either track will learn about biostatistics, social and behavioral science, health policy management, epidemiology, environmental health and communications.
MU allows students to enroll in a dual degree program to earn both an MPH and a Master of Public Affairs, Master of Social Work, Master of Arts in Journalism or a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. There are also different certificate programs available, including certificates in global public health, public health or epidemiology in public health. Students can earn a certificate in lieu of a full degree or earn one or more certificates when working on their MPH degrees.
An online MPH degree is also available for students who want to study while living in a different city or state. Students can choose an emphasis area or track and learn the same things that traditional students do. Classes in the online program include Principles of Public Health, Research Methods in Public Health, Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Health Care in the United States. The University of Missouri-Columbia allows online students to do internships too.
About The University of Missouri-Columbia
The University of Missouri-Columbia is the official name given to the flagship campus of the University of Missouri school system, which is in Columbia. Established in 1839, it ranks as the oldest university in the United States located in the western half of the country. Founded as a public school that offered higher education opportunities for students, the university has a campus that measures more than 1,200 acres in size. Though the area surrounding the campus was once quite rural, it grew over the years to give the campus more of an urban flair. The Tigers, the name given to all its athletic teams, dates back to the Civil War. Residents living near the campus used the name of the Fighting Tigers during the Civil War to describe the militia fighting to protect their own. The university adopted that name to reflect the city’s history.
ARWU, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and Washington Monthly all rank MU as one of the top colleges in America. The same publications and others include the university on their lists of the best colleges in the world today. Though its College of Arts and Sizes is the oldest college on its campus, the university divides itself into different branches and divisions that include the School of Medicine, Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs and Sinclair School of Nursing. Enrollment at MU tops more than 30,000, which includes both graduate and undergrad students.
The University of Missouri-Columbia Accreditation Details
MU has accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), which is one of the main forms of accreditation granted to public health degree programs. CEPH accreditation lets students know that the program meets its own rigid standards and that it will prepare them for working in any public health field. The university also has regional accreditation, which comes from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS). This accreditation allows students to transfer courses and credits between schools and to apply for financial aid.
The University of Missouri-Columbia Application Requirements
Students applying to the university’s MPH program or its online MPH program will need to submit an online application. The department will review the application within days and inform students if they need to provide any more information. They will also need to pay a fee to submit that application. The university has waivers available for those who cannot afford to pay this fee. MU itself requires both an academic transcript and standardized test scores. Students will need to submit a score for an exam like the MCAT or GRE. The transcripts they submit will need to show their grade point averages and a complete list of all classes taken at the undergrad level.
The deadline for incoming MPH students to submit their applications is June 1 for the fall semester, October 1 for the spring semester and April 1 for the summer semester. Students will also need to write a response to an essay question relating to public health and upload a personal data sheet that lists any experiences they have in the public health field. Incoming students must have an undergrad GPA of 3.0 or higher. The department asks students to provide two letters of recommendation also. At least one of those letters must come from a professor or adviser.
Tuition and Financial Aid
MU expects full-time graduate students to take nine credits of courses each semester and estimates tuition based on this number of credits. Missouri residents pay $7,702 per semester for a full course load, but nonresidents pay closer to $11,500 to take the same amount of classes. The university charges slightly less for students taking classes towards a certificate rather than a degree. Students are responsible for paying all their other expenses, which can including housing and transportation. Online students pay $475 per credit for each class they take.
Graduate students attending MU can apply for financial aid, which the university bases around the FAFSA that each student submits. Many students use loans, which can include unsubsidized loans from the federal government and alternative student loans from other lenders. Graduate students may also qualify for one or more grants. MU recommends that those enrolling in graduate school also check out scholarships. Traditional students can also apply for one of the jobs on the university’s campus. The career center maintains a database that lists all the jobs currently available. Students can also look at jobs available in the public health department and related departments.
Interested in learning more about public health at The University of Missouri-Columbia? Click here.
